Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 34
Śrāddha-prayoga: Niyama, Brāhmaṇa-parīkṣā, Kutapa-kāla, Tithi-nyāya, and Vaiṣṇava-phala
ब्राह्मणानामभावे तु भ्रातरं पुत्रमेव च । आत्मानं वा नियुंजीत न विप्रं वेदवर्जितम् ॥ ३४ ॥
brāhmaṇānāmabhāve tu bhrātaraṃ putrameva ca | ātmānaṃ vā niyuṃjīta na vipraṃ vedavarjitam || 34 ||
اگر اہل برہمن میسر نہ ہوں تو بھائی، بیٹے یا خود اپنے آپ کو مقرر کرے؛ مگر وید سے خالی نام نہاد برہمن کو ہرگز مقرر نہ کرے۔
Sanatkumara (in dialogue with Narada)
Vrata: none
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
FAQs
It prioritizes Vedic competence and dharmic eligibility over mere social label: ritual authority must rest on Veda-based knowledge, and in emergencies one may use close kin or oneself rather than rely on a Veda-less officiant.
By insisting on proper, Veda-aligned performance, it safeguards the sincerity and correctness of worship; devotion is strengthened when offerings and rites are carried out with authentic scriptural grounding rather than empty formalism.
The verse underscores Veda-adhyayana (Vedic study) as the minimum qualification for priestly function, implying reliance on Vedanga-supported competence (e.g., correct recitation and ritual application) rather than untrained officiation.